The residents of Umri village of Beed district have declared a boycott of the upcoming gram panchayat elections, firmly asserting that there will be no elections until the Maratha community's reservation demand is met. A memorandum expressing this stance was submitted to the Tehsildar, with the villagers pledging not to file a single nomination for the elections.
During a joint meeting involving villagers, panel leaders, and sarpanch candidates at 11 am today, a unanimous resolution was adopted. Umri villagers decided to boycott the elections until the Maratha community's demand for reservation is met, making Umri the only village in the state to take such a stand.
They strongly assert that elections should be postponed until the reservation issue is addressed, and if elections proceed as scheduled, no candidate from Umri will file nominations. Despite the election schedule being announced, no candidate has filed their nomination even after two days, highlighting the strength of this unique protest.